Fiber optic communication systems are becoming increasingly popular for data transmission due to their high speed and high data capacity capabilities. Wavelength division multiplexing is used in such fiber optic communication systems to transfer a relatively large amount of data at a high speed. In wavelength division multiplexing, multiple information-carrying signals, each signal comprising light of a specific restricted wavelength range, may be transmitted along the same optical fiber.
In this specification, these individual information-carrying lights are referred to as either “signals” or “channels.” The totality of multiple combined signals in a wavelength-division multiplexed optical fiber, optical line or optical system, wherein each signal is of a different wavelength range, is herein referred to as a “composite optical signal.”
The term “wavelength,” denoted by the Greek letter λ (lambda) is used herein in two senses. In the first usage, this term is used according to its common meaning to refer to the actual physical length comprising one full period of electromagnetic oscillation of a light ray or light beam. In its second usage, the term “wavelength” is used synonymously with the terms “signal” or “channel.” Although each information-carrying channel actually comprises light of a certain range of physical wavelengths, for simplicity, a single channel is referred to as a single wavelength, λ, and a plurality of n such channels are referred to as “n wavelengths” denoted λ1-λn. Used in this sense, the term “wavelength” may be understood to refer to “the channel nominally comprised of light of a range of physical wavelengths to centered at the particular wavelength, λ.”
A crucial feature of fiber optic networks is the separation of the composite optical signal into its component wavelengths or channels, typically by a wavelength division de-multiplexer. This separation must occur to allow for the exchange of signals between loops within optical communications networks. The exchange typically occurs at connector points, or points where two or more loops intersect for the purpose of exchanging wavelengths. Conventional methods utilized by wavelength division de-multiplexers in separating a composite optical signal into its component channels include the use of filters and fiber gratings as separators. A “separator” or “channel separator”, as used in this specification, is an integrated collection of optical components functioning as a unit which separates one or more channels of a composite optical signal from one another, or else combines separate channels from separate inputs into a single composite optical signal.
A problem with the conventional separators is the precision required of a transmitter device—that is, a light emitting device which generates an optical signal at a particular wavelength—because of the narrow pass bands of such separators. This high precision is difficult to accomplish. Further, signal transmitting devices must be aligned individually for each separator, which is time intensive. Still further, additional, separate optical isolator and optical circulator components must supplement the separators within the optical communications system, which is wasteful of space and resources. Also, there does not exist any single apparatus that combines the functionality of a channel separator with that of an isolator, a circulator, or a comb filter.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a multi-functional separator which is easily aligned. The multi-functional separator should be able to incorporate additional isolator, circulator and comb-filter functionalities. The present invention addresses such a need.